Apparatus for reshaping worn railway track irons



0. J. NYBERG Oct. 24, 1933.

APPARATUS FOR RESHAPING WORN RAILWAY TRACK IRONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 13, 1928 gwuentoz 01 J iv /m 0. J. NYBERG Oct. 24, I933.

APPARATUS FOR RESHAPING WORN RAILWAY TRACK IRONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 13, 1928 INVENTOR. QZ j' J )Vyiz ergfimuwsys Patented Get. 24, 1933 APPARATUS FOR RESHAPING WORN RAIL- WAY TRACK IRQNS ration of @hio Application November 13, 1928 Serial No. 319,165

4 Claims.

My invention relates to reclaiming or reshaping railway track irons or similar inetal articles, and particularly worn rail splice bars or the like, and an -s to improve generally existing methods and apparatus for reshaping worn rail splice bars or fish plates, as by them by an improved method so as to restore them for the purpose and service for which they were originally intended or to different as desired. The invention further aims to provide apparatus capable of economically reforging and reshaping such bars according to any improved method.

In order better to illustrate my improved method and apparatus, 1 have shown in the accompanying drawings one term of apparatus suitable for prac'icing the method and eu1bodying principal. features of the apparatus.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section showing one form of forging apparatus suitable for reshaping worn splice bars;

Fig. 2 is a vertical. sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the bar in position between the dies before the reforming operation is commenced;

Fig. 3 is a similar View taken on theline 3-3 of. Fig. 1, showing the bar in position after the reforging operation; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a conventional form of splice bar. I

The splice bars or fish plates, as they are termed, may be of any conventional design, and, as is common, are provided with bolt holes extending transversely through the web portion of the bar. As is customary, the bolt holes in each bar are alternately round and elliptical (see Fig. so that when a pair of bars are in position on opposite sides of a rail joint, a round hole of one bar will align with an elliptical hole in the opposite bar, so that the bars 11 ..y be bolted'to gether by bolts having elliptical heads as are commonly used for this purpose. In reshep worn splice bars it necessary to restore the bar to its original shape, so that the head and fla wearing surfaces conforito the original de and it is important to prevent the distortion the bolt holes; and, where the bolt holes 0" original bar have been undu y worn out 0' it is necessary to compress the metal or" around the holes, to such extent that ihe original size and shape of the holes will be restored.

According to my invention, the angleor splice bars are advantageously reshaped by compressing them within vertically movable die members. The

bars are supported in the lower die rss smear or ies member in an inclined position wi'h respect -to the horizontal plane, that is, the perpendicular to the direction .e movable die. This permits bution of the metal from the major axis of the bar is not or" movement of of a ready distrihead and flange portions of .he bar without undue thinning of the web portion so to materially weaken the reformed. of the novel means for restrai Furtl'ierrnore, it permits of the use ning the flow of metal into the bolt openings, so that their original $31120 5 so may be maintained.

According to my invention, the splice bars are preferably reshaped by a single forging operation,

and in the present instance upper and lower die holders l9 11 respectively, 0 presses, as instance, a hydr steam ha! ceive upper and lower dies 12 an The lower, tionary and is formed f suitable forging aulic ram, air or .er or power press, are adapted to red 13, respectively.

or bottom die 13, is pr ferably stawith surfaces to shape accurately the head-wearing and flange-wearing surface of the splice bar, the shape and mounting of the die 13. such that the splice bar is supported thereon at an angle to the horizontal.

plane, that is, the bars are so the reshaping 1 forging operatic supported during 11, that the axis of the bolt holes is inclined with respectto the vertical axis of the press, and to the direction of movement of theupper movable die.

In order to maintain the original size and shape of the bolt holes during the reshaping operation, or to restore enlarged holes to their original size and shape, as the case may be,

I form each die member 12 and 13 with bolt hole shaping lugs 1a and 15, respectively, the lug the lower die 13 in any suitable a portion of it projects 15 being fixed in manner, so that from the bridge portion 14 of the bottom die, and at an angle to the direction of vertical moveent of the upper movable die. Advantagcously the lower die is formed in a number of sections'for convenience in changing the dies or replacing the worn parts thereof.- Thus, when the worn angle bar in place in the lower die thelugs 15 extend through the transverse bolt holes of the bar.

The lugs 14 are suitably secu red in the upper movable die, and project downwardly therefrom and at an angle to the vertical axis 01 so that when the upper die is 1 bar to press it, the lugs l l'will the die, owered upon the enter the upper partly open endsv of the bolt holes, and being complementary to the lug 15 will accurately maintain the bolt holes to proper size and shape dur ing the reforming of the bar.

The adjoining faces 17 of the respective pairs of lugs 14 and 15 are cut obliquely to the axis of the lugs or at such an angle as to permit relative vertical movement of the lugs and dies and also permit the lug 14 to enter into the upper partially open end of the bolt hole.

As stated above, the bolt holes of splice bars are conventionally of alternately elliptical and circular shape, and according to my improved apparatus for reforming bars, alternate lugs are preferably elliptical and circular, (as shown in Fig. 1), so that the original size, shape and arrangement of the bolt holes may be retained.

By the above described means accuracy in the size and shape of the bolt holes is maintained during the reforming and as the lower die member is accurately shaped to conform to the shape of its desired bar, so that when the heated bar is subjected to pressure between the dies, the metal of the bar will be forced into the lower die to fill out the worn parts of the bar and thus restore it to its original usefulness.

The upper die member is provided with adjustable stops 18, adapted to strike the upper face of the die holder 11. In this way a predetermined stroke is maintained. Thus, the method may be practiced in a hydraulic, air, or steam press well as a power press.

After the bar has been reshaped, and the upper die is being raised, the bar will adhere to the lower die, as the angularly disposed bolt hold forming lugs 15 will prevent movement of the bar vertically with the upper die. As the bar chills rapidly, it must be readily and quickly stripped from the lower die, and accordingly, I provide stripping mechanism for quickly removing the bar from the lower die in a direction parallel to the axis of the lugs 15. In the present embodiment of the invention, the stripping mechanism comprises one or more stripping pins 19 movably mounted in the lower die being positioned therein parallel to the axis of the lugs 15. When in lowered position, the stripping pins 19 constitute parts of the lower die, their upper faces being shaped to conform to the shaping of the lower die. The lower portions of the pins 19 have downwardly projecting reduced stems 20 extending downwardly through the lower die holder and into side opening recesses 21, whereinthey may be suitably connected to an actuating bar 22, common to all of the pins when more than one pin is used. Thus, by actuation of the bar 22, the stripping pins 19 will be raised, stripping the bar from the movable die 13 and lugs 15.

By reforging or reshaping the bars by pressure applied obliquely to the major axis of the bar, as described above, the convergent head and flange wearing faces of the bar may be readily restored to their original shape by the direct displacement of metal from the heavier head and flange sections of the bar, and without material compression and distortion of the web of the bar as in prior methom. The displacement of the metal is slightly obliquely to, but almost parallel to the plane of the worn rail head and flange wearing surfaces of the bar (see Fig. 3) so that the bars may be satisfactorily reconditioned with a minimum of pressure.

The above method may be satisfactorily operated in a hydraulic or steam press as well as a power press, by the use of stop members 18 to limit the stroke of the movable die. In using a hydraulic press set to a predetermined pressure the extent of wear of the angle bar determines the stroke of the press except that the adjustable stops l8 prevent damaging contact of the tempered dies and hole-forming lugs. Thus no previous assorting of the bars is required.

Advantages of my invention reside in the economical manner in which worn angle bars or splice bars may be reshaped and restored to their usefulness as well as the simplicity and sturdiness of the apparatus, permitting rapid and continuous operation. Furthermore, according to the invention, worn splice bars may be reshaped to their original or other sizes as desired, and may also be reformed in different shapes as desired.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for reforming worn splice bars having convergent rail head and rail flange wearing faces comprising relatively movable die members, one of said die members being longitudinally channelled to receive and support the bar obliquely relative to the direction of movement of said movable die members, so that the rail head and rail flange wearing faces of the bar are disposed substantially parallel to the direction of movement of said die members, and means for applying pressure of the movable die members to the head and flange portions 'of the bar to cause the metal thereof to be displaced directly toward the rail and flange wearing faces thereof,

and without material compression of the inter- 1i. i

mediate web portion of the bar, and adjustable stop members on one of the die members adapted to engage the other die member and limit movement of the die members toward each other.

2. An apparatus for reforming worn splice'bars having convergent rail head and rail flange wearing faces comprising relatively movable die members, one of said die members being longitudinally channelled to receive and support the bar obliquely relative to the direction of movement of said movable die members, so that the rail head and rail flange wearing faces of the bar are disposed substantially parallel to the direction of movement of said die members, and means for applying pressure of the movable die members to the head and flange portions of the bar to cause the metal thereof to be displaced directly toward the rail and flange wearing faces thereof, and without material compression of the intermediate Web portion of the bar.

3. Apparatus for reforming worn splice bars having transversely extending bolt holes therein according to claim 2 characterized by means engaging in the bolt holes of the bar to maintain the original size of the holes during reforming and also serving to prevent the bar adhering to the movable die.

4. Apparatus for reforming worn splice bars according to claim 2 further characterized by the provision of stripping means movable through the supporting die and adapted to strip the bar therefrom as the movable die disengages the work.

OLAF J. NYBERG. 

